This invention relates to the field of woven and non-woven papermaking fabric used on papermaking machines in the manufacturing of paper. More particularly, the invention relates to an electronic fabric analysis report and method for communicating the results of test data, physical tests, and analysis performed on a used papermaking fabric from a manufacturer to the customer in an integrated and timely manner. This allows a customer to make higher quality repairs and adjustments to their papermaking machine and to save great expense in reducing downtime and preventing the manufacturing of defective paper.
In the papermaking process, huge endless belts referred to as papermaking fabrics are used at different stages of the process to support and transport the paper from a wet pulp to a thin dry sheet. The fabrics range from 25 feet to 300 feet in length and approximately 6 feet to over 33 feet in width. The fabrics are joined or made endless and travel about rollers on the rather large papermaking machine. Depending on how well the machinery is running, and its state of repair, the fabrics become more or less worn. In extreme cases, a problem on the machinery can cause the fabric to wear or be damaged excessively, or even leads to fabric failure. Much expense is caused by these problems.
Disruption of the papermaking process and any resulting down time leads to tremendous loss and expense for the paper manufacturer, especially when a fabric fails and ruins a portion or even the entire paper making run. Additionally, papermaking fabric itself is quite expensive. Ideally, papermaking fabrics are replaced at a point in time before the papermaking fabric fails but after the satisfactory life of the fabric is reached to obtain the maximum use from a papermaking fabric. It becomes very important to obtain as much information concerning the papermaking fabric""s wear to know when this time occurs, and maintain machinery in the proper adjustment. Also, it is very important for the paper manufacturer to know why a fabric fails or becomes prematurely worn. The present invention provides much more information in a much more timely fashion over prior manual reporting to help the paper manufacturer overcome these problems.
In the papermaking industry, it has been generally known to perform an analysis of a worn, failed, or damaged papermaking fabric and to report the results of the analysis to the customer in written format. The customer uses this report to make any necessary adjustments or repairs to the papermaking machine. This report can also be used to inform the customer that the fabrics can be left on the machines longer before needing replacement and thus saves the paper manufacturer from unnecessary expense and down time.
Prior to the present invention, results from tests were merely physical compilations of individual results. This manual method lacked the ability to fully explain the results of tests, lacked cohesive data presentation, and made utilization of information difficult for the customer. For example, 35 mm photographs were taken of worn or failed fabrics and simply attached to a written report and not integrated into the report. Results from various physical tests were stapled or otherwise attached to written explanations and photographs, thereby lacking cohesiveness and ready comprehension.
The primary disadvantage of previous manual reporting methods was the required lead time between the customer providing a used or failed fabric for analysis and reporting the results to the customer. In addition, the reports lacked integration so as to be more readily utilized by the customer. Timing can be critical for a customer since a papermaking machine which is continually causing excessively wear, damage, or destroys paper making fabric causes the customer down time, poor production runs and increases expense in replacing failed fabric. Additionally, such problems potentially ruin the paper in production and cause added expense. In the prior manual methods, lead times were necessary since 35 mm photographs and is other data requires development time. The lead time is just increased when the quality of the photographs is not good enough and the photographs must be retaken. Retaking photographs and the associated lead time increases the time and cost to the papermaking customer.
It""s generally been known to utilize computerized systems to inspect other objects in non-related fields. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,530,652 discloses a device for taking measurements of a human figure and generating a clothing pattern. U.S. Pat. No. 5,345,515 shows a computerized system for inspecting cotton and wool fibers for defects. Another physical analysis system is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,276,480 and discloses a method and apparatus for determining properties of a material such as weight or thickness. U.S. Pat. No. 5,146,550 discloses a computerized method of testing textile material and displaying the results in a chart format. These above disclosures are concerned with performing specific physicals tests and are not concerned with the problems solved by an integrated digital readily comprehendible report for a complete fabric analysis.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,546,434 discloses a non-related computerized method for storing and retrieving garment patterns for designing clothing and apparel, an invention unrelated to a digital integrated papermaking fabric analysis report.
While previous methods of reporting have been accepted in the past, the time required to produce these prior reports, the lack of data integrity and integration, and the non-cohesive presentation are disadvantages to which considerable attention is needed to improve product quality and production efficiency for the paper manufacturer.
Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide an analysis report of papermaking fabric having an integrated, cohesive information presentation format which may be provided to the customer in a timely and efficient manner.
Accordingly, an other important object of this invention is to provide a comprehensive, integrated analysis report of papermaking fabric wherein an analysis based on diverse data inputs may be quickly delivered to a customer in a digital format.
Another object of this invention is to provide an analysis report of papermaking fabric in a format which is readily edited, easily available, and electronically transmitted, thereby reducing the time it takes to report analysis results to the customer.
Another object of this invention is to provide an analysis report of papermaking fabric which allows multiple media to be incorporated into the report to provide more cohesive and comprehensive presentation which gives the customer more complete information to be used when repairing or adjusting a papermaking machine.
Another object of this invention is to provide an analysis report of papermaking fabric which can be readily edited for allowing the salesmen, technicians or other individuals to review and edit the report so that the customer has all the information from these sources integrated into a single location providing more information concerning the papermaking machinery.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an analysis report of papermaking fabric at substantially lower cost.
The above objectives are accomplished accord to the present invention by producing a digitized analysis report of papermaking fabric comprising digitizing information of the physical characteristics of papermaking fabric derived from the fabric analysis and recording these results in a computer readable medium. The digital format and content of the report allows delivery and presentation to the customer to be done quickly so that the customer can make adjustments and repairs to papermaking machinery, replace a fabric, or know to lengthen the time between fabric replacement; all of which minimizes down time and economic loss.
In essence, the present invention is a method of creating an analysis report of a papermaking fabric used on a papermaking machine. The analysis is reported to a customer so that the customer can quickly determine if or whether abnormal wear has been caused by the papermaking machine as well as to determine if defects exists in the fabric. Also, the customer can determine if the papermaking machinery is operating correctly or if papermaking fabric is being replaced prematurely so that the fabrics have remaining useful life.
The first step is to perform tests to measure physical characteristics of the papermaking fabric selected from at least one of, caliper test, air-permeability test, strength test, weight test, void volume test, hydrolysis test, and water-permeability. The next step is to provide a digital template to receive results from the selected tests. Next, the results from the tests are compiled into a test data set representing the physical characteristics of the papermaking fabric. The data test set is digitized to provide a digital test data set. This digital test data set is placed into a digital template. In addition to the above tests, fabric images are generated of the papermaking fabric and these images are digitizing to provide digital fabric images. These images are placed in the digital template. Fabric video can also be generated to show full motion video of the papermaking fabric analysis or the papermaking fabric. This video is digitized to provide a digital fabric video and is than placed into the digital template. Textual information is also generated from the analysis of the papermaking fabric, digitized and placed into the digital template. The next step is to organize the digital test data set, the digital fabric images, the digital fabric video, and the digital textual information within the digital template so that an easily comprehendible, deliverable, and readable digital fabric analysis report is provided for the customer. This digital report helps the customer better determine wear and damage to the papermaking fabric which may be caused by the papermaking machinery.
Generally, the process for producing the report begins with the customer requesting a fabric analysis. The fabric is than removed from the papermaking machine and physical tests are performed on the papermaking fabric or a sample of the fabric. This analysis is requested for a number of reasons including when the customer""s papermaking fabric has been prematurely worn or damaged during the papermaking process. Fabric analysis can also be requested to determine if any defects exist in the papermaking fabric. Also, the customer may desire a report to determine if the papermaking fabric is being replaced too soon. In all cases, it is very desirable to report the analysis back to the customer in a timely fashion to minimize future wear and failure, or to minimize expense to the customer due to premature replacement of fabrics which may have contained more life.